Brake-rod jaw.



F. SCHAEFER.

BRAKE ROD JAW.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I0, 1915.

1,14A0fi. "Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

WITNESSES INVENTOFI FREDERIC SCI-IAEFER, OF PITTEaBURG-H, PENNSYLVANIA.

BRAKE-ROD JAW.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1%, 1915.

.. Application filed March 10, 1915. Serial No. 133%.

To all "whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREonRIo SoHAnrER, aresident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a. new and useful Improvement in Brake-Rod Jaws, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to brake rod jaws.

The object of the invention is to provide a brake rod jaw which can be readily formed by forging and hence be much stronger than similar jaws made of cast metal; which is so designed and the metal of which is so disposed that the jaw whilelight and economical in the amount of metal used will nevertheless withstand all service stresses without danger of deformation or breakage; and which is so designed as to hold the brake rod firmly against displacing even when the brake rigging is not under tension.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through the jaw on the line 11, Fig. 2, showing the end of the brake rod in position; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the jaw showing the end of the brake rod in dotted lines; Fig. 3 is an elevation of the inner end of the aw; Fig. 4: is in part an elevation of the outer end of the jaw, one side being in vertical section through the connecting pin eyes; Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view in transverse section on the line 5-5, Fig. 1, illustrating the method of formation of the jaw; Fig. 6 is a plan view of the diagram shown in Fig. 5; Figs. 7 and 8 are horizontal sectional and detail views showing modifications of the means for holding the brake rod against displacement; Fig. 9 is a side view of the form illustrated in Fig. 8; and Fig. 10 is a vertical transverse detail view showing still another modification.

The jaw is formed from a single piece of metal, preferably a rolled plate of rectangular outline, although if desired, the plate may be sheared to somewhat approximate the form shown by the full and dotted lines of Fig. 6. This is subjected to the action of suitably formed dies which trim out the plate approximately to the form shown in full and dotted lines in Fig. 6 while forming the jaws. The action of the dies is to bifurca te one end of the plate, as at 11, Fig. 6, leaving on each side thereof portions or ways forming the jaw members 12 and .13, and rearward of said bifurcation leaving the connecting portions 14 and 15, the former of which is bowed downwardly and the latter of which is bowed upwardly. vThe jaw members or wings 12 and 13 arebent by the dies downwardly so as to dispose the two jaw members side by side and substantially parallel to each other, with the two connecting port-ions 14: and 15, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so that there is an opening therebetween, as 16 through which the end of the brake rod 1 passes. The outermost edge portions 18 of the blank just rearward of the jaw members themselves are formed somewhat wider than the remainder of the blankand are bent inwardly with their free edges abutting, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, leaving a circular opening 18 for the return portion 1'? of the hooked end of the brake rod. The joint so formed may, if desired, be welded, but this is not necessary. Likewise at the extreme rear end the edge portions 19 are also bent inwardly and abutted together, as shown in Fig. 3, leaving a circular opening 20 for the end of the brake rod. Figs. 5 and 6 show diagrammatically the method of formation, these views showing on the right hand side in full lines the wing portion bent to final position, and in dotted lines the wing portion before bending; and on the left hand side showing the wing portion in full lines before being bent to position, and in dotted lines after being bent to final position. These illustrations, however, are merely to make clear the method of formation, but in the actual fabrication both wing portions are bent downwardly and together simultaneously.

In the die operation the excess metal from the portions which are cut away is caused in part to flow into the blank so as to form thickened portions at certain points in order to give the desired strength. For instance, the upwardly bowed connecting portion 15 has its outer edge thickened, as shown at 21, to give strengthat this portion; the jaws themselves have their upper and lower edges flanged inwardly, as shown at 22 in Figs. 1 and 2, to stifien and strengthen the same; and the metal around the pin eyes 23 is very much thickened, and this thickened portion preferably is wider on one side of the eyes than on the other, as shown at 24, Fig. 1, in order to more effectively resist the wearing action of the pin. So, too, the downwardly bowed connecting portion 14 is thickest and narrowest in the central longitudinal plane of the j aw, where and increases in width and decreases in depth to its junction with the side or jaw members, thus giving maximum strength with minimum weight.

The brake rod 17 is connected to the jaw by heating its end and passing it through the opening 20, until it projects entirely beyond the forward end of the jaw, and then bending it into hook form, as shown in Fig. 1,iafterwhich it is moved backwardly in the jaw until it assumes its final position, embracing the downwardly bent connecting portion 14, and with its return portion 1'? lying in the opening 18 and embraced by the inwardly bent portions 18 of the jaw. Therod itself is thus very slightly bent or Offset, as shown at 25, and its axis lies in one horizontal plane, while the center or axis of the pin eyes 23 is in a different horizontal plane, as a consequence of which the tension stresses on these members produces an eccentric action which binds the jaw onto 7 the rod and gives 'a gripping action at the points 25, 26 and 27 Preferably, the connecting portion 14 is slightly inclined downwardly from its rear edge to its forward edge to increase this gripping action, and also preferably its forward edge is somewhat thickened as shown at 28, to form a larger bearing face for the hooked portion of the rod.

7 The gripping action just described due to the eccentric disposition of the axes of the rod and of the eyes 23 is sufficient to prevent relative displacement of the jaw and rod end, even when. the parts are not under tens1on. As an additional safeguard to prevent such displacement other suitable means may be provided. For instance, Figs. 1 and 5 show an ordinary cotter pin 30 passing through alining holes in the side walls of the jaw and the hooked end portion of the rod. Fig. 3 shows a rivet 30 in the same location and Figs. 7 and 9 show other 'arrangements for securing the same results. In Fig. [7 the side walls of the jaws are slit longitudinally, as indicated by dotted lines 31, Fig. 6, and the portions between the slits are forced inwardly to form the bulges or shoulders 33 lying immediately in front of the curved portion 17 of the hook of the brake rod, thereby preventing the brake rod from moving forwardly in the eye, as will be obvious. Figs. 8 and 9 show the slit-out portions ofthe metal severed at one end and I bent inwardly in the form of tongues 34 lying immediately in front of the hooked portion of the rod.

resisted by the inwardly bent portions 18 of the side wings lying immediately underneath the return portion of the hook. The

metal is sufliciently rigid to offer very material resistance to any straightening out tendency of the hook, and no weld at the free abutting edges of the portions 18 is necessary because the tendency to spread apart these jaw members is very slight and amply taken care of by the stiffness of the metal. In case additional means is desired against the tendency of the hooked portion of the rod to straighten out the joints at 18 and 19 may be welded, or the parts may be formed as in Fig. 10, which shows the edge portions 18 bent slightly upwardly, as indicated at 36, and the return portion 17 of the brake rod is slightly grooved, as at 37, so that it contacts with the inturned portions 18 at each side of the line of contact of the parts 18; or in other words, the downward pressure of the return portion of the hook, under any tendency to straighten out. is very close to the side walls of the jaw itself, so that whatever pressure is exerted at these points will have only a very slight tendency to spread apart the side members of the jaw.

The brake jaw described is so designed that it can be readily formed by a die forging operation, thereby making it possible to utilize wrought metal with the inherent tensile strength of such metal. The jaw is not only lighter, but is very much stronger than ordinary cast jaws, and as it is made from a single piece of metal without fastening bolts or the like to break or become loose, it possesses the maximum strength with the minimum weight. The die operations for forming it are simple and substantially continuous, so that the jaw is also cheap to make. The brake rod is very firmly gripped and securely held against displacement in the jaw due to the several features above described, so that it is impossible for the jaw and rod to become disconnected in use.

Various modifications may obviously be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is 1. A forged brake rod jaw composed of wrought metal, and comprising jaw members lying side by side and connected by an upwardly bowed portion and a downwardly bowed portion, said latter portion serving as a means for engaging a hooked brake rod end.

2. A forged brake rod jaw, composed of wrought metal and comprising jaw members lying side by side and connected by an upwardly bowed portion and a downwardly bowed portion, and a brake rod provided with a hook engaging the downwardly bowed connecting portion.

3. A forged brake rod jaw, composed of wrought metal and comprising jaw members lying side by side and connected by an upwardly bowed portion and a downwardly bowed portion, and a brake rod provided with a hook engaging the downwardly bowed connecting portion, the downwardly bowed portion being thickened at its hook contacting portion.

4. A forged brake rod jaw, composed of wrought metal and comprising jaw members lying side by side and connected by an upwardly bowed portion and a downwardly bowed portion, and a brake rod provided with a hook engaging the downwardly bowed connecting portion, the downwardly bowed portion being of least width at the central longitudinal plane of the jaw where engaged by the hook and increasing in width from this plane to its junction with the jaws.

5. A forged brake rod jaw, composed of wrought metal and comprising jaw members lying side by side and connected by an upwardly bowed portion and a downwardly bowed portion, and a brake rod provided with a hook engaging the downwardly bowed connecting portion, the downwardly bowed portion being of least width and greatest thickness at the central longitudinal plane of the jaw where engaged by the hook and increasing in width and decreasing in thickness from this plane to its junction with the jaws.

6. A forged brake rod jaw, composed of wrought metal and comprising jaw members lying side by side and connected by an up wardly bowed portion and a downwardly bowed portion, and a brake rod provided with a hook engaging the downwardly bowed connecting portion, the jaw members being provided with pin eyes having thickened walls on their outer sides.

7 A forged brake rod jaw, composed of wrought metal and comprising jaw members lying side by side and connected by an upwardly bowed portion and a downwardly bowed portion, and a brake rod provided with a hook engaging the downwardly bowed connecting portion, the jaw members being provided with pin eyes having their centers in a different plane from the longitudinal axis of the brake rod.

8. A forged brake rod jaw composed of wrought metal and comprising jaw members lying side by side and connected by an upwardly bowed portion and a downwardly bowed portion, said latter portion slanting forwardly of the jaw and serving as a means for engaging a hooked brake rod end.

9. A forged brake rod jaw composed of wrought metal, and comprising jaw members lying side by side and connected by an upwardly bowed portion and a downwardly bowed portion, said latter portion serving as a means for engaging a hooked brake rod end, and means for preventing displacement of the brake rod.

10. A forged brake rod jaw composed of wrought metal, and comprising jaw mem bers lying side by side. and connected by an upwardly bowed portion and a downwardly bowed portion, a hooked brake rod engaging said downwardly bowed portion, and means formed by deformation of the metal of the jaw for preventing displacement of the brake rod therein.

11. A forged brake rod jaw composed of wrought metal, and comprising jaw members lying side by side and connected by an upwardly bowed portion and a downwardly bowed portion, said latter portion being engaged by a hooked brake rod, the jaw members having the edges of the metal bent inwardly along the under surface of the return portion of the hooked brake rod.

12. A forged brake rod jaw, composed of wrought metal and comprising jaw members lying side by side and connected by an up wardly bowed portion and a downwardly bowed portion, and a brake rod provided with a hook engaging the downwardly bowed connecting portion, said brake rod having an offset within the jaw and engaged by the upwardly bowed connecting portion.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

FREDERIC SGHAEFER.

Witnesses:

GLENN H. LERESOI-IE, WILLIAM B. WVHAR'roN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

